Alameda startup Aurora Biofuels raises $20 million
East Bay Business Times - by Mavis Scanlon
June 13, 2008
Alameda renewable energy startup Aurora BioFuels Inc. is out to prove its technology to produce bio-oil from algae is viable on a large scale. The company has raised $20 million in a second round of venture financing to do so.
The second round was led by existing investor Oak Investment Partners, which was joined by existing investors Gabriel Venture Partners and Noventi. It follows the $3.2 million Aurora raised in early 2007. That initial round went to honing Aurora's technology in the lab and a small pilot program, said Matt Caspari, Aurora founder and CEO.
"This (new) money is to scale up," Caspari said, "taking what we've already done outdoors to a real-world environment."
Interest in algae as a biofuel feedstock for transportation fuels is growing. The plant, commonly called pond scum, is oily and grows very fast. It also does not compete with agricultural resources that can be used as food.
There are at least 15 startups trying to develop algae as a fuel source, including Aurora, Solazyme of South Francisco, Live Fuels of Menlo Park, and New American Energy Inc. (operating as Mighty Algae Biofuels) of Redwood City. Aurora's technology, developed at UC-Berkeley, uses open ponds to grow algae, which Caspari said he expects will "get us to the lowest price point."
Two-year-old Aurora is still operating in what Caspari called "semi-stealth" mode - he declined to say how many employees the firm has or how many it expects to hire - and also declined to discuss his exact definition of large-scale other than to say it is "significant."
Aurora's business model calls for ultimately selling bio-oil from algae into the existing refinery and distribution system, but Caspari declined to say what the company's time frame is for getting to market. He expects to sell to major integrated oil companies or other biofuel refiners, who would then convert the fuel to transportation fuel.
Although the idea for turning algae into fuel dates back several decades, "at the moment no one has proven that algae can work at scale," said Jim Long, venture partner at Gabriel Venture Partners and chairman of Aurora's three-person board of directors. Since the ultimate objective in producing algae oil is to lower dependence on foreign oil, "from our perspective it's better if many people are successful."
mscanlon@bizjournals.com | 925-598-1405
Monday, June 16, 2008
A conversation with John Melo, CEO of Amyris Biotechnologies
A conversation with John Melo, CEO of Amyris Biotechnologies
East Bay Business Times - by Mike Consol East Bay Business Times publisher
Friday, June 6, 2008
John Melo, CEO of Amyris Biotechnologies
First job: A gardener cutting lawns and trimming bushes.
Business philosophy: Start with a customer in mind.
How do you stay motivated: Search for the improbable. I'm a big believer that most of the establishment has created rules in their minds as to what can be done.
Guiding principle: There are many ways to achieve the aspirations people have, so never be committed to one answer.
Definition of success: Delivering the highly improbable.
Goal yet to be achieved: Helping save the more than 2,000 African children who die every day from malaria. We're developing a technology that aims to help reduce the cost of producing a cure for malaria and that will enable children to receive treatment in six weeks rather than 18 months.
Best decision: To join Amyris. It's the first time in my life I've found there's a purpose to the work I do. It's not just working to achieve the next level of achievement, it's a purpose beyond myself or the people in this company.
Worst decision: The consistent theme of the bad decisions I've made is giving up too early.
Biggest missed opportunity: Not being born in the time of Henry the Navigator. I would have loved to have been born in that era and traveled the seas and exploring without any prior defined model for how you should think about space.
Mentor: Lord John Browne, former CEO of British Petroleum.
Word that best describes you: Driven.
Like best about job: The people.
Like least about job: Raising money.
Interests: My family, reading and travel.
Pet peeve: People who know it all.
Most important lesson learned: There's always a better answer.
Person most interested in meeting: John F. Kennedy. He had a material impact on a number of immigrants who came to this country, specifically where I'm from, the Azores Islands.
Greatest fear: What I fear most is my own fear.
Idea of perfect happiness: Having a company that plays like a jazz band, where each individual plays their own music and, together, we deliver outstanding performance.
Greatest strength: The ability to connect the dots in very complex problems.
Characteristic most admired: I see a lot of value in people who can see beyond the obvious.
First choice for a new career: The leader of a micro-finance company focused on Africa.
Favorite quote: "No compromise" and "managing the paradox" are two favorites I like to use to frame a conversation.
How do you deal with stress: Either walking on the beach and hearing the waves, or sitting by a fireplace and listening to the crackling of the fire.
Exercise of choice: Mountain biking.
Most influential book: "The Tipping Point," by Malcolm Gladwell.
Most ecstatic moment: When I first immigrated to the U.S. and experienced flight for the first time. I grew up using ox carts and horses to get around. There were very few vehicles and definitely no planes. So a jet flight in a Boeing 707 was pretty amazing.
Favorite word: Possible.
Most cherished possession: My house in the Azores Islands.
Background
Name: John Melo
Company: Amyris Biotechnologies
Title: CEO
Years with company: 18 months
Career: President of U.S. Fuels Operations for British Petroleum, where he successfully led efforts that grew the business from $25 billion to $34 billion a year in revenue. Previously, a director with Ernst & Young in San Jose, and a management team member for several startups.
Education: Executive education at Stanford, Harvard and Insead in France
Residence: Chicago, San Jose and Emeryville
Family: Wife Mary, son Joshua, daughters Vitoria and Sofia
East Bay Business Times - by Mike Consol East Bay Business Times publisher
Friday, June 6, 2008
John Melo, CEO of Amyris Biotechnologies
First job: A gardener cutting lawns and trimming bushes.
Business philosophy: Start with a customer in mind.
How do you stay motivated: Search for the improbable. I'm a big believer that most of the establishment has created rules in their minds as to what can be done.
Guiding principle: There are many ways to achieve the aspirations people have, so never be committed to one answer.
Definition of success: Delivering the highly improbable.
Goal yet to be achieved: Helping save the more than 2,000 African children who die every day from malaria. We're developing a technology that aims to help reduce the cost of producing a cure for malaria and that will enable children to receive treatment in six weeks rather than 18 months.
Best decision: To join Amyris. It's the first time in my life I've found there's a purpose to the work I do. It's not just working to achieve the next level of achievement, it's a purpose beyond myself or the people in this company.
Worst decision: The consistent theme of the bad decisions I've made is giving up too early.
Biggest missed opportunity: Not being born in the time of Henry the Navigator. I would have loved to have been born in that era and traveled the seas and exploring without any prior defined model for how you should think about space.
Mentor: Lord John Browne, former CEO of British Petroleum.
Word that best describes you: Driven.
Like best about job: The people.
Like least about job: Raising money.
Interests: My family, reading and travel.
Pet peeve: People who know it all.
Most important lesson learned: There's always a better answer.
Person most interested in meeting: John F. Kennedy. He had a material impact on a number of immigrants who came to this country, specifically where I'm from, the Azores Islands.
Greatest fear: What I fear most is my own fear.
Idea of perfect happiness: Having a company that plays like a jazz band, where each individual plays their own music and, together, we deliver outstanding performance.
Greatest strength: The ability to connect the dots in very complex problems.
Characteristic most admired: I see a lot of value in people who can see beyond the obvious.
First choice for a new career: The leader of a micro-finance company focused on Africa.
Favorite quote: "No compromise" and "managing the paradox" are two favorites I like to use to frame a conversation.
How do you deal with stress: Either walking on the beach and hearing the waves, or sitting by a fireplace and listening to the crackling of the fire.
Exercise of choice: Mountain biking.
Most influential book: "The Tipping Point," by Malcolm Gladwell.
Most ecstatic moment: When I first immigrated to the U.S. and experienced flight for the first time. I grew up using ox carts and horses to get around. There were very few vehicles and definitely no planes. So a jet flight in a Boeing 707 was pretty amazing.
Favorite word: Possible.
Most cherished possession: My house in the Azores Islands.
Background
Name: John Melo
Company: Amyris Biotechnologies
Title: CEO
Years with company: 18 months
Career: President of U.S. Fuels Operations for British Petroleum, where he successfully led efforts that grew the business from $25 billion to $34 billion a year in revenue. Previously, a director with Ernst & Young in San Jose, and a management team member for several startups.
Education: Executive education at Stanford, Harvard and Insead in France
Residence: Chicago, San Jose and Emeryville
Family: Wife Mary, son Joshua, daughters Vitoria and Sofia
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Florida based FPL Group Inc to build & operate a 250-megawatt (MW) solar plant
Juno Beach, Florida based FPL Group Inc identified that it has filed an application
with California regulators to build and operate a 250-megawatt (MW) solar
thermal plant in the Mojave Desert.
The plant is part of FPL's strategy to add at least 600 MW of new solar generating capacity by 2015.
The Beacon Solar Energy Project will be located on a 2,000 acre site in Kern County, California. Construction on the plant is expected to begin in late 2009 and will take two years to complete. The plant will generate enough electricity to power about 175,000 homes.
FPL operates a wind farm in Solano County.
with California regulators to build and operate a 250-megawatt (MW) solar
thermal plant in the Mojave Desert.
The plant is part of FPL's strategy to add at least 600 MW of new solar generating capacity by 2015.
The Beacon Solar Energy Project will be located on a 2,000 acre site in Kern County, California. Construction on the plant is expected to begin in late 2009 and will take two years to complete. The plant will generate enough electricity to power about 175,000 homes.
FPL operates a wind farm in Solano County.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Proposal For Center To Coordinate Energy, Climate Change Research
Proposal For Center To Coordinate Energy, Climate Change Research
More embarrassing riches - life sciences and energy research - FYI Mike
David R. Baker, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The University of California may soon become home to an ambitious, $600 million institute that would coordinate energy and climate change research at schools and labs throughout the state, supported by money from your monthly electric bills.
The proposed California Institute for Climate Solutions would bring together universities - such as UC Berkeley and Stanford - better known as rivals than partners.
Each school and national laboratory involved already has scientists and engineers hunting for sources of energy, more efficient ways to use power and other means to fight global warming. Now their efforts would be coordinated by a central administration hosted by UC.
The project's substantial price tag would be paid through Californians' utility bills. A typical homeowner could pay an extra 30 cents per month as a result.
The idea is the brainchild of Michael Peevey, president of the California Public Utilities Commission. The commission will hold a public workshop today in San Francisco to hammer out some of the issues, although a final commission vote on the project is probably months away.
Peevey sees the proposed institute as a way to cement California's position as the world's premier location for energy and climate change research.
"It's to marshal the best minds to address the biggest calamity mankind has ever faced," said Peevey, who under the current proposal could become one of the institute's co-chairmen. "You put all this together. There's so much going on here, and it builds on itself."
Although they have haggled over some of the details, the idea has drawn broad support from other schools after the University of California formally proposed it in September.
Several consumer groups, however, have questioned the wisdom of asking utility customers to pay for it.
The universities and labs, they note, already have funding for their own research. And utility customers already pay for other renewable energy projects, such as California's rebates for homeowners who install solar panels.
"The commission seems to have lost sight of the fact that even if you're spending money on the world's best cause - and I can't think of a better cause than climate change - it's possible to spend the money foolishly," said Bob Finkelstein, executive director of The Utility Reform Network.
He said the proposed institute should draw its funding from state taxes, if the state decides the project is worth pursuing. Peevey's five-member commission sets bill rates for California's three large, investor-owned utilities - such as Pacific Gas and Electric Co. - but has no authority over taxes.
"It's probably faster to get the three votes on the utilities commission to raise rates than it is to raise taxes," Finkelstein said.
Peevey, however, considers the institute's proposed mission and its source of funding to be an appropriate fit.
"Why should (utility) ratepayers pay for it?" he said. "Because there's nothing more important to the environment of ratepayers."
As currently proposed, the institute would serve as an organizational hub for research. It would coordinate, rather than supplant, the efforts of member universities and labs.
Although it would most likely be housed at a UC campus, all the organizations taking part would have a say in running it. No one school or university system would have a majority of votes on its governing board.
That board also would include representatives from several government agencies, as well as utilities, consumer groups and environmental organizations. It would be co-chaired by the presidents of UC and the utilities commission.
The institute would draft a "road map" that would identify energy and climate change research already under way and look for gaps.
Those gaps would then get top priority for funding under the institute's budget, projected at $60 million per year for 10 years.
Research teams at individual schools or labs would have to bid for the institute's funding and win it through a competitive process.
"We'll be complementing existing research, not duplicating it," said Ellen Auriti, executive director for research policy in the UC system.
Stanford University worried at first that the project would be too dominated by UC, said James Sweeney, a Stanford energy economist working on the effort. But the proposed governing structure resolved those concerns.
He now looks forward to coordinating with other researchers throughout the state on such an important, daunting topic.
"There will be a planning process to make sure the whole thing has coherence, and I think that is valuable," Sweeney said. "Right now, the coherence comes about only because we all talk to each other."
Want to comment or learn more?
The California Public Utilities Commission will hold a workshop on UC's proposed California Institute for Climate Solutions starting at 9 a.m. today at the commission's San Francisco headquarters, 505 Van Ness Ave. The meeting will also be Webcast at www.cpuc.ca.gov. To comment on the proposal, call the commission's public adviser office at (415) 703-2074 or (866) 849-8390.
E-mail David R. Baker at dbaker@sfchronicle.com.
More embarrassing riches - life sciences and energy research - FYI Mike
David R. Baker, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
The University of California may soon become home to an ambitious, $600 million institute that would coordinate energy and climate change research at schools and labs throughout the state, supported by money from your monthly electric bills.
The proposed California Institute for Climate Solutions would bring together universities - such as UC Berkeley and Stanford - better known as rivals than partners.
Each school and national laboratory involved already has scientists and engineers hunting for sources of energy, more efficient ways to use power and other means to fight global warming. Now their efforts would be coordinated by a central administration hosted by UC.
The project's substantial price tag would be paid through Californians' utility bills. A typical homeowner could pay an extra 30 cents per month as a result.
The idea is the brainchild of Michael Peevey, president of the California Public Utilities Commission. The commission will hold a public workshop today in San Francisco to hammer out some of the issues, although a final commission vote on the project is probably months away.
Peevey sees the proposed institute as a way to cement California's position as the world's premier location for energy and climate change research.
"It's to marshal the best minds to address the biggest calamity mankind has ever faced," said Peevey, who under the current proposal could become one of the institute's co-chairmen. "You put all this together. There's so much going on here, and it builds on itself."
Although they have haggled over some of the details, the idea has drawn broad support from other schools after the University of California formally proposed it in September.
Several consumer groups, however, have questioned the wisdom of asking utility customers to pay for it.
The universities and labs, they note, already have funding for their own research. And utility customers already pay for other renewable energy projects, such as California's rebates for homeowners who install solar panels.
"The commission seems to have lost sight of the fact that even if you're spending money on the world's best cause - and I can't think of a better cause than climate change - it's possible to spend the money foolishly," said Bob Finkelstein, executive director of The Utility Reform Network.
He said the proposed institute should draw its funding from state taxes, if the state decides the project is worth pursuing. Peevey's five-member commission sets bill rates for California's three large, investor-owned utilities - such as Pacific Gas and Electric Co. - but has no authority over taxes.
"It's probably faster to get the three votes on the utilities commission to raise rates than it is to raise taxes," Finkelstein said.
Peevey, however, considers the institute's proposed mission and its source of funding to be an appropriate fit.
"Why should (utility) ratepayers pay for it?" he said. "Because there's nothing more important to the environment of ratepayers."
As currently proposed, the institute would serve as an organizational hub for research. It would coordinate, rather than supplant, the efforts of member universities and labs.
Although it would most likely be housed at a UC campus, all the organizations taking part would have a say in running it. No one school or university system would have a majority of votes on its governing board.
That board also would include representatives from several government agencies, as well as utilities, consumer groups and environmental organizations. It would be co-chaired by the presidents of UC and the utilities commission.
The institute would draft a "road map" that would identify energy and climate change research already under way and look for gaps.
Those gaps would then get top priority for funding under the institute's budget, projected at $60 million per year for 10 years.
Research teams at individual schools or labs would have to bid for the institute's funding and win it through a competitive process.
"We'll be complementing existing research, not duplicating it," said Ellen Auriti, executive director for research policy in the UC system.
Stanford University worried at first that the project would be too dominated by UC, said James Sweeney, a Stanford energy economist working on the effort. But the proposed governing structure resolved those concerns.
He now looks forward to coordinating with other researchers throughout the state on such an important, daunting topic.
"There will be a planning process to make sure the whole thing has coherence, and I think that is valuable," Sweeney said. "Right now, the coherence comes about only because we all talk to each other."
Want to comment or learn more?
The California Public Utilities Commission will hold a workshop on UC's proposed California Institute for Climate Solutions starting at 9 a.m. today at the commission's San Francisco headquarters, 505 Van Ness Ave. The meeting will also be Webcast at www.cpuc.ca.gov. To comment on the proposal, call the commission's public adviser office at (415) 703-2074 or (866) 849-8390.
E-mail David R. Baker at dbaker@sfchronicle.com.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Vacaville Considers Deal For Power Plant
Vacaville Considers Deal For Power Plant
By Ian Thompson | DAILY REPUBLIC | December 06, 2007 14:14
VACAVILLE - Vacaville may get a power plant in four years that is designed to provide electricity during periods of high demand.
The city is considering giving Maryland-based Competitive Power Ventures a three-year option to lease 25 acres next to the Easterly Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vacaville Public Works Director Dale Pfeiffer said.
Competitive Power Ventures wants to build a natural gas-powered electrical plant similar to but larger than four power plants that are located in Fairfield and Suisun City. These plants are called peaker plants because they operate only during periods of high electrical demand.
The Vacaville City Council is expected to vote on whether to give Competitive Power Ventures that option at its meeting Tuesday night.
Competitive Power Ventures needs the option in order to be ready with a proposal when PG&E issues a request for proposals early in 2008 to a build a plant in this area.
If the plant is built, Vacaville could get as much as $1.7 million in revenue in lease payments, property taxes and selling treated wastewater to the plant that will be used to cool its generators, Vacaville finance head Ken Campo said.
The income will offset the costs of running the Easterly wastewater treatment plant.
'It will help the city government, and it will help the ratepayer,' Pfeiffer said.
If Competitive Power Venture gets the nod from PG&E and approvals from state agencies, construction could begin in 2010 with the plant coming on line in 2012.
Vacaville will be the third community in Solano County to build peaker power plants if this happens.
Fairfield has one natural gas-powered, 48-megawatt power plant on Cordelia Road, not far from the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District's water treatment plant. Suisun City has the Lambie, Creed and Goose Haven power plants, all capable of generating as much as 47 megawatts.
All these plants were built in 2003 by Calpine Corp. under contract with the state to prevent rolling blackouts that occurred in 2000 and 2001.
In August, DG Power International of Walnut Creek approached the Fairfield City Council to build a larger gas-powered plant capable of generating between 200 and 500 megawatts. DG Power is presently working with Fairfield city staff and applying to PG&E for approvals.
Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.
By Ian Thompson | DAILY REPUBLIC | December 06, 2007 14:14
VACAVILLE - Vacaville may get a power plant in four years that is designed to provide electricity during periods of high demand.
The city is considering giving Maryland-based Competitive Power Ventures a three-year option to lease 25 acres next to the Easterly Wastewater Treatment Plant, Vacaville Public Works Director Dale Pfeiffer said.
Competitive Power Ventures wants to build a natural gas-powered electrical plant similar to but larger than four power plants that are located in Fairfield and Suisun City. These plants are called peaker plants because they operate only during periods of high electrical demand.
The Vacaville City Council is expected to vote on whether to give Competitive Power Ventures that option at its meeting Tuesday night.
Competitive Power Ventures needs the option in order to be ready with a proposal when PG&E issues a request for proposals early in 2008 to a build a plant in this area.
If the plant is built, Vacaville could get as much as $1.7 million in revenue in lease payments, property taxes and selling treated wastewater to the plant that will be used to cool its generators, Vacaville finance head Ken Campo said.
The income will offset the costs of running the Easterly wastewater treatment plant.
'It will help the city government, and it will help the ratepayer,' Pfeiffer said.
If Competitive Power Venture gets the nod from PG&E and approvals from state agencies, construction could begin in 2010 with the plant coming on line in 2012.
Vacaville will be the third community in Solano County to build peaker power plants if this happens.
Fairfield has one natural gas-powered, 48-megawatt power plant on Cordelia Road, not far from the Fairfield-Suisun Sewer District's water treatment plant. Suisun City has the Lambie, Creed and Goose Haven power plants, all capable of generating as much as 47 megawatts.
All these plants were built in 2003 by Calpine Corp. under contract with the state to prevent rolling blackouts that occurred in 2000 and 2001.
In August, DG Power International of Walnut Creek approached the Fairfield City Council to build a larger gas-powered plant capable of generating between 200 and 500 megawatts. DG Power is presently working with Fairfield city staff and applying to PG&E for approvals.
Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Solar System Pays Off for ALZA Plant in Vacaville
Solar System Pays Off for ALZA Plant in Vacaville
By Barry Eberling DAILY REPUBLIC December 05, 2007 16:39
People walk through a 6.5 acre, 1 megawatt solar panel field built by ALZA Corporation in Vacaville Wednesday afternoon. Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Pacific Power Management presented ALZA with a $2,999,313 rebate incentive Wednesday. Photo by Brad ZweerinkVACAVILLE
Sunlight means electricity for the ALZA Corp., enough to meet one third of the peak summer needs at its Vacaville plant, an equivalent to the power demands from 200 homes.
The pharmaceutical company's new solar array has rows and rows of black photovoltaic panels spread across 6.5 acres, some 5,740 panels in all. This is one of the largest privately owned commercial arrays in California.
'It's very impressive to look out and see a one-megawatt solar field,' said Dan Pellissier, who represented the Schwarzenegger administration on Wednesday at a celebration for ALZA's achievement.
The celebration took place inside a fancy tent near the solar array. Chandeliers hanging from the ceiling provided light. Flower arrangements abounded. A buffet included such items as anticucho de filete and wild mushroom phyllo pursettes.
PG&E officials came to the site to present the company with a $2.9 million rebate for the $9 million project. ALZA expects to save $300,000 annually in energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.4 million pounds annually.
'We realize these initiatives are not only good for the environment and the community as a whole, but also make good business sense,' said Henry Esparza of the ALZA Corp.
Vacaville Mayor Len Augustine said the city is not really known as an environmental area. But, he said, the city not only has the ALZA solar array, but such things as the solar-powered homes at the Ventana subdivision, park-and-ride lots and a city program promoting compressed natural gas cars for residents.
'We're very proud of our environmental record,' Augustine said.
Novato-based SPG Solar Inc. built the solar array project.
ALZA has other alternative energy ventures. Its Mountain View plant is largely powered by methane gas from a closed city dump. The company has its headquarters in Mountain View and is owned by Johnson & Johnson.
This is just the latest solar energy effort in Solano County. In March, PG&E gave the Meyer Corp. in Fairfield a $1.4 million rebate for the cookware company's $4 million rooftop solar panel system.
PG&E has given $12.5 million self-generation rebates to Solano County ventures since 2002 and plans to award another $12.5 million for future ventures, said Clay Schmidt of PG&E.
Local governments are also trying solar energy. Examples include the Solano County health and social services buildings in Fairfield, the Solano County Government Center in Fairfield and the city hall, police station and city-owned pump station in Vallejo.
Reach Barry Eberling at 425-4646, Ext. 232, or at http://mailto:beberling@dailyrepublic.net.
By Barry Eberling DAILY REPUBLIC December 05, 2007 16:39
People walk through a 6.5 acre, 1 megawatt solar panel field built by ALZA Corporation in Vacaville Wednesday afternoon. Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Pacific Power Management presented ALZA with a $2,999,313 rebate incentive Wednesday. Photo by Brad ZweerinkVACAVILLE
Sunlight means electricity for the ALZA Corp., enough to meet one third of the peak summer needs at its Vacaville plant, an equivalent to the power demands from 200 homes.
The pharmaceutical company's new solar array has rows and rows of black photovoltaic panels spread across 6.5 acres, some 5,740 panels in all. This is one of the largest privately owned commercial arrays in California.
'It's very impressive to look out and see a one-megawatt solar field,' said Dan Pellissier, who represented the Schwarzenegger administration on Wednesday at a celebration for ALZA's achievement.
The celebration took place inside a fancy tent near the solar array. Chandeliers hanging from the ceiling provided light. Flower arrangements abounded. A buffet included such items as anticucho de filete and wild mushroom phyllo pursettes.
PG&E officials came to the site to present the company with a $2.9 million rebate for the $9 million project. ALZA expects to save $300,000 annually in energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1.4 million pounds annually.
'We realize these initiatives are not only good for the environment and the community as a whole, but also make good business sense,' said Henry Esparza of the ALZA Corp.
Vacaville Mayor Len Augustine said the city is not really known as an environmental area. But, he said, the city not only has the ALZA solar array, but such things as the solar-powered homes at the Ventana subdivision, park-and-ride lots and a city program promoting compressed natural gas cars for residents.
'We're very proud of our environmental record,' Augustine said.
Novato-based SPG Solar Inc. built the solar array project.
ALZA has other alternative energy ventures. Its Mountain View plant is largely powered by methane gas from a closed city dump. The company has its headquarters in Mountain View and is owned by Johnson & Johnson.
This is just the latest solar energy effort in Solano County. In March, PG&E gave the Meyer Corp. in Fairfield a $1.4 million rebate for the cookware company's $4 million rooftop solar panel system.
PG&E has given $12.5 million self-generation rebates to Solano County ventures since 2002 and plans to award another $12.5 million for future ventures, said Clay Schmidt of PG&E.
Local governments are also trying solar energy. Examples include the Solano County health and social services buildings in Fairfield, the Solano County Government Center in Fairfield and the city hall, police station and city-owned pump station in Vallejo.
Reach Barry Eberling at 425-4646, Ext. 232, or at http://mailto:beberling@dailyrepublic.net.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Biodiesel Demands Fuel Firm's Growth
Biodiesel Demands Fuel Firm's Growth
Emeryville's Amyris set to go on hiring spree to expand business thanks to rise in popularity of alternative energy sources
By George Avalos STAFF WRITERContra Costa Times
Amyris Technologies Inc., riding a dynamic surge in the biofuels industry, has charged to a swift expansion of its business, harvested a new round financing and is poised for a hiring spree.
The East Bay biofuels company is fresh from landing $70 million in venture capital. Amyris also signed a lease in Emeryville that will triple its office and research space.
Emeryville-based Amyris intends to hire about 100 workers, which would roughly double its workforce, according to Kinkead Reiling, Amyris co-founder and senior vice president.
"We are looking at what we need to do to take the company to the next level," Reiling said.
The company's expansion is a reminder of the dynamic potential for an alternative-energy industry that has begun to hatch in the region.
"Alternative energy is big right now," said Jonathan Tomasco, a broker with the Cornish & Carey commercial realty office in Emeryville. "You hear about solar companies, biofuels companies popping up. This is a growing industry."
Amyris agreed to rent 70,000 square feet at EmeryStation East, an office project across the street from the company's present head offices. It's possible that when Amyris relocates next spring, it will also retain the 20,000 square feet it now occupies. The lease was arranged through Cornish & Carey.
The deal represents a payoff on something of a gamble for the creator of the new complex, Wareham Development. Wareham built the 245,000-square-foot project with no assurance it would land tenants.
"We built this to be a top-of-the-line research building," said Geoffrey Sears, a partner with Wareham Development. "We thought the market has evolved and is ready for that kind of project. We built it speculatively, but also with the hope that there would be demand for this type of research space."
It looks as if tenants will gobble up at least 75 percent of the building shortly. Besides Amyris, two other big tenants are believed to be headed to the building.
One confirmed tenant is Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics Inc., which is occupying 36,000 square feet. Another tenant, not officially disclosed yet, but believed to be linked to government-sponsored alternative-energy research, could occupy a big chunk of space in the building at 5885 Hollis St. between 59th and Powell streets.
"Emeryville, Berkeley, Richmond and, to a lesser extent, Alameda, are part of what is a strong biotech corridor," Sears said. "The I-80 corridor is close to UC Berkeley. UC San Francisco is right across the Bay."
Amyris is growing rapidly because it has invented a way to create microbes that can transform commodities such as sugar into fuel. Some researchers believe sugar as a fuel feed stock tends to be more energy-efficient and less damaging to the environment to produce than is corn, a feed stock for ethanol fuel.
"Amyris is designing better biofuels from designer bugs," John Doerr, partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a venture firm backing Amyris, said in a statement.
The biofuels efforts are one reason Amyris has stepped up its hiring. Amyris has about 95 workers but wants to double that size "in the foreseeable future," Reiling said. The company will be picky about who it brings on board the research-intensive company, which intends to ramp up to mass production by 2010 or 2011.
Amyris initially focused on using its genetically created bugs to synthesize inexpensive medicines to combat malaria. Less costly anti-malarial treatments are seen as a great benefit to people in relatively poor countries. Despite its success with biofuels, Amyris says it is still strongly focused on the malaria enterprise.
"We have not forgotten, or lost any enthusiasm, about the malaria project that got our company going," Reiling said.
Reiling also said that the move by Amyris to hire John Melo, a former executive with British Petroleum, has been a catalyst for Amyris to explore horizons beyond malaria.
"If you bring in that sort of expertise, it changes things," Reiling said. "Our company has gone in some pleasantly unexpected directions."
George Avalos covers jobs, economic development, commercial real estate, finance and petroleum. Reach him at 925-977-8477 or gavalos@bayareanewsgroup.com
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